Ryzen 7950X3D review: An expensive but incredibly efficient 16-core CPU

Towards the end of its Ryzen 5000 run, AMD released the Ryzen 7 5800X3D. This is a special version of the 8-core 5800X with 64MB of additional L3 cache stacked on top of it.

The result was an interesting but niche experiment. The extra “3D V-Cache” helped the CPU perform particularly well in games, but lower clock speeds (and higher power usage and heat generation) slowed down overall app performance. be spoiled. The additional cost was not (and still is) proportional to the speed improvement over the 5700X or 5800X. The 5800X3D is also the end product of the old socket AM4 platform, making it an interesting upgrade option if you already have an older Ryzen PC, but an awkward choice to build a brand new PC.

Now AMD is back with an expanded range of Zen 4 based Ryzen 7000X3D processors. The $599 12-core Ryzen 9 7900X3D and $699 $16-core Ryzen 9 7950X3D are available now, while the 8-core Ryzen 7 7800X3D launches on April 6th.

The expanded range of the lineup suggests that AMD has become more comfortable on the manufacturing side of the equation. Ryzen 7000 life cycle. AMD has addressed some of the 5800X3D’s biggest shortcomings by bumping up its clock speeds, but it’s not always in a sophisticated way. For most people building one of the cheap non-X3D CPUs (or ones from Intel) will do just fine. But the 7950X3D’s performance (especially power efficiency) makes it worth a look for anyone building a gaming PC that doubles as a video editing rig or workstation.

price and comparison

The Ryzen 7000 CPU lineup is currently split into three subcategories. The X-series CPUs that were available at launch, the non-X-series CPUs for mainstream PCs with lower default power settings and lower prices, and now the expensive gamer CPUs. Focuses on X3D models. Compared to the X series, we’re paying $100-$150 more for a CPU that almost promises better gaming performance.

Prices for AMD’s other Zen 4 processors have calmed down a bit since the chips launched in September. This is because Intel’s 12th and 13th Gen CPUs are priced very competitively, and CPU and desktop PC sales are down significantly since the early days. Pandemic (although still higher than pre-pandemic). If you read our previous article, you may have noticed that the 7950X3D is launching at the same price as his regular 7950X launched within six months of him. This probably isn’t the competitive position AMD wanted early in his Ryzen 7000’s lifecycle.

Looking at the top of Intel’s 13th Gen lineup, the i9-13900K recently sold for under $600 (usually a KF or non-K version of the 13900 would save even more money, but at the time of this writing As of now, all three are hovering at the same price point). Its main drawback is that it must be consumed. many It lacks the power to get the most out of it, especially when compared to the 7950X3D, but in terms of initial cost, you can put together a top-end Intel system for slightly less than an AM5 system .

As I wrote before, AMD’s platform also requires new motherboards with new sockets and chipsets. and DDR5 memory, Intel’s CPUs work with a wide range of cheap motherboards, but you can also save money by using DDR4 RAM if you prefer. But if he’s seriously considering the 7950X for a PC, he should also be considering a DDR5 compatible Z690 or Z790 motherboard for Intel CPUs. This narrows the price difference a bit. Mounting the i9-13900K on a cheap motherboard with the H610 chipset technically workbut its motherboard power delivery system may limit its performance.